Improvement in boot-jacks



J. B. LAUFFER.

Boot-Jacks.

No`.199,55'7. Patenied Jan. 22,1878.,

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N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITE( DGHAP UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OSIAH B. LAUFFER, OF HARRISON CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT-JACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 199,557, dated January 22, 1878 application filed October 20, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .IosrAn B. LAUFFER, of Harrison City, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Boot-Jacks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a plan view of my boot-jack with foot-piece removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, and Fig. 4 is a side view thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a boot-jack, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawings, to whichreference is made, fully illustrate my invention.

A represents the base of my boot-jack, provided at the front end, on its under side, with a rib or cleat, B, so that the base will rest on the iioor in an inclined position. On the top, at the rear end of the base A, is another rib or cleat, B', on which the foot-piece C is so hinged or pivoted that it will rock forward, or, in other words, that its forward end will tilt downward when pressure is brought to bear upon it.

D D represent two arms or levers resting upon the base A, and formed at their front end with the curved jaws G Gr, of such shape that, when closed, they will grasp the heel of a boot or shoe placed between them. The rear ends of the levers D D are pivoted together and to the base A by a single pin or bolt, a, and their forward ends are spread apart by means of a'spring, b.

In the drawing I have shown this spring as a spiral spring surrounding a rod, d, which is fast in one lever and passes through a hole in the other; but it is, of course, evident that any spring will answer if arranged to press the jaws apart.

The levers D D are, near the base of the jaws G G, formed with curved cross-arms I I, which overlap each other, and each arm is grooved for a certain portion of its length, for the other arm to pass through, and both arms thus be guided in their movements.

. Both the arms I I are slotted longitudinally,

as shown at i i, and through these slots is' passed a wedge-shaped piece, H, which is fastened to and projects downward from the under side of the footpiece C.

In operation one foot is placed between the jaws G G and the other foot on the footpiece C then by pressing down on said foot-piece the wedge H goes farther down through the slotted arms I I, thereby closing the jaws Gr Gr tightly on the heel of the shoe between said jaws, and the boot can then be easily pulled off. As soon as the pressure is removed from the foot-piece the spring b immediately opens the jaws and releases the boot.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure l. In Ia bootjack, the combination of the pivoted levers D D, formed with the jaws Gr Gr and slotted arms I I, the spring d, and the wedge H, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the base A, levers D, with jaws Gand slotted arms I, the spring d, and the foot-piece O, with wedge H, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. p

i JOSIAH B. LAUFFEB. Witnesses:

HENRY SHEARER, W. I. SHUSTER. 

